The Art of Opening Credits Design

Mar 15, 2017

Whether I’m watching a movie or binging on my latest Netflix obsession, those of you who know me well know that I totally geek out over beautiful opening credits. What were once just a boring list of names, the design of opening credits has become an art form.

Thanks to designer Saul Bass, opening credits were taken to a new level with his invention of kinetic, moving typography. The video above shows his famous opening for Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo. He worked through the late 50s and 60s creating title sequences for famous directors including Stanley Kubrick and Martin Scorsese. The opening credits to Mad Men (below) are said to be a nod to Bass’ opening sequence work.

Now that you know the history behind beautiful opening credits, I’m going to geek out again and share with you some of my favorites in the videos below. Enjoy!